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With our global emphasis on green and sustainable living, many people are actively doing their part to engage in “green acts”. Whether it’s recycling, toting reusable grocery bags, there are a number of ways to engage yourself in balanced living

Seeing Differently

Step 1 to realigning your lifestyle using eco-principles is to begin seeing differently. See your entire existence as emerged within eco-living, rather than you as an individual acting out green acts.

Stuart Haygarth would have taken this advice literally, inventing a sustainable eye glass chandelier that uses 620 pairs of discarded lenses to form a globe-like chandelier. For the designer, perhaps his living art is not only an example of using creativity to craft lifestyle choices, but also symbolic of what visionary work we can accomplish if we begin to see a little differently.

Turning a Domestic Green Leaf

Turning over a green leaf begins with ourselves, in how we think and then in how we carry out those thoughts. Once we have internal balance, our focus can shift smoothly to an external balance. And while you may not be able to go save the rain forest, you can begin by changing how you view your home.

View your home as an eco-habitat in itself, and once you perceive your home this way, you’ll treat it with more green care. The simplest way to begin thinking this way is to look at what toxic elements could be in your home – perhaps in your vacuum cleaner, carpet, paint, whether you have energy-efficient appliances, or even checking to see if the plastics you use to cook and eat with are made with toxic chemicals. It’s really very simple and just takes a small effort in reprogramming how you think. Once you shift how you think, your new thought patterns become healthy lifestyle habits.

The Mind Body Equation

Equally as important as your home is another vessel that you inhabit daily – your mind and body. These two are just as relevant in your eco thinking as your actions. When it comes to eco thinking, your habits aren’t just about what products you use or what daily habits you have that save that extra little bit of energy or water. It’s about how you think.

Eco thinking is about harmony with one’s environment. And one of the most important things that should be in a harmonious state is our central selves. If we cannot achieve this, then in essence our eco habits are just frustrated (but not natural) extensions of ourselves. Achieving an eco balance internally through meditation, exercise, and intellectual stimulation is the simple solution to turning a truly balanced green leaf.

There are a number of reasons why someone would want a smaller appliances or even dual usage for one purchased item. Smaller living space, reduced number of steps needed to get things done, or simply to save money – multifunctional appliances definitely have their benefits.

These nifty duos have seen a considerable growth in the market place, especially with increased penny-pinching, reduced energy consumption, and a cultural push for simple compact life.

Aside from being energy friendly, small appliances are great for not only smaller homes, but for bachelors and bachelorettes, those looking to downscale their appliance usage, and they make great wedding gifts.

Check out these space-saving gadgets that not only make your life more compact, but also more eco friendly and innovative

Microwave DuosLG has come up with some clever ways to pair microwaves with other popular kitchen gadgets, such as a toaster and a coffee maker. This stainless steel duo saves a ton of space, and is cleverly designed to be chic yet functional. Instead of running both your microwave and your coffee maker, you now need to flip only one switch

Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless water heaters are an absolute must have for homes with limited floor space and plumbing options. These electric heaters produce and supply endless streams of hot water to multiple outlets simultaneously without any fluctuation in temperature. They are 30%-50% percent more energy efficient than a traditional water heater, and the automatic shut-off features provides huge energy savings.

The Ottoman Bench Press

Though not an appliance, Ottoman’s are great for smaller spaces. They can be used as a coffee table or as additional seating. Interestingly enough the “Otto-Bench” also allows the Ottoman to be used as a bench press/weight lifting station. This two-in-one decor gadget saves natural resources by combining two needs in one. The amount of time, energy and resources that would have gone into building two separate products is cut in half! And if you consider the beginning to end process for a consumer good, especially logging and transport, you can rest assure that you’re doing your part for the environment.

The Revolving Kitchen

The original Circle Kitchen is an innovative high-tech compact kitchen. The 180° revolving kitchen features all the amenities of a traditional kitchen but takes up only 1.8 square meters of space. They come in a number of styles and are great for either a small home, apartment, guest house, and garage homes. Plus smaller fridge, smaller apliances, means reduced energy costs and needs.